Consider the following Proposition from p. 138, Chapter III of Bredon's Topology and Geometry:
Let $f:S^1\to X$ (continuous). Then $[f]=1\in\pi_1(X) \iff f$ extends to $D^2$.
$[f]$ is the homotopy class (rel base point) of $f$.
Does an analogous characterization extend to higher homotopy groups? I.e., is the following also true for any $n>1$:
Let $f:S^n\to X$ (continuous). Then $[f]=1\in\pi_n(X) \iff f$ extends to $D^{n+1}$?
A reference will suffice for an answer.
A null homotopy of $f$ is the same as an extension of $f$ to $D^{n+1}$ (after noting that $S^n\times I$ with $S^n\times\{1\}$ identified to a single point is homeomorphic to $D^{n+1}$), so yes.